Professional Catering

Dr. Stephen B. Shiring, Sr., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Hospitality Management at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. His professional work experience includes catering, consulting food broker, and restaurant management. Integrating a unique service learning experiences into his classes, Dr. Shiring has taught 21 different hospitality management courses, including catering and special events, hospitality marketing, strategic planning, principles of management, cost management, fundraising for special events, introduction to casino, human resources management, food production, purchasing, introduction to hospitality, and hospitality business model. Both an academic and internship adviser, he is the IUP faculty representative to the Walt Disney World College Program. He served as chairperson of the Department of Hospitality Management for seven years and is a member of the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education as well as serves on advisory committees representing both community colleges and vocational-technical high schools. In addition, he volunteers as a subject specialist for the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Education, serving as an on-site evaluator for Hospitality & Tourism Management Programs seeking accreditation. Dr. Shiring's numerous awards include the IUP African American Cultural Center's Award of Recognition. He received his doctorate degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

PART I: WHAT IS CATERING?
1. The Catering World: Types of Catering.
2. The Caterer and the Client.
3. Establishing the Right Kind of Catering for You.
4. Choosing Your Client.
5. Social Media Marketing.
PART II: THE CATERING OPERATION.
6. The Seven Functions of Catering.
7. Planning--The Basic Catering Management Function.
8. Operations--Execution of Tasks.
9. Organizing the Event.
10. Catering Equipment.
11. Procuring Catering Equipment.
12. Implementing.
13. Controlling.
14. Understanding Risk Management, Insurance and Legal Issues.
PART III: GAINING A COMPETITIVE EDGE.
15. Beverage Management.
16. Conflict Resolution.
17. Sustainable Catering: One Ecological Step at a Time.
18. Human Resource Management of Catering.
Appendix A: Ingredients for Success.
Appendix B: Weights, Measures, and Abbreviations.
Appendix C: Sample Business Plan.